After the Attack
by magicalgirlsdeservemore
Summary: Historia is an airbender when her people are attacked. Ymir is around to protect her.


After an hour of meditation, Sister Petra gave Historia permission to go to the village so she could visit her friends.

Grinning, Historia spins a ball of air one of the boys (Aang) taught her, moving until she finds her sky bison, Nala. Her grey eyes shine happily as she greets her companion. Filled with the joy of life, she giddily strokes Nala's side and jumps up.

"Let's go girl!" she says, excited to see her friends after being separated for a year. The timing isn't odd, Historia travels a lot, she _is_ an air nomad after all. And her friends are from other nations, it makes sense that they don't see each other very frequently.

Flying down from the mountain, she can spot her friends from the base, not too far from the local village. Getting closer she jumps to show off her new trick with her glider. She beams as she lands.

"Hey guys!" she says with twinkling eyes.

Mikasa is the tallest, clad in red. She's unquestionably the best firebender of her age.

Sasha follows next in height, munching on some fruit wearing, dark green. Out of all of them she's been bending the longest- her home is actually the Earth Kingdom village nearby.

Annie, distinctively shorter, is not from either of the water tribes, even though her eyes are an icy blue. Annie travels by alone, creating her own waterbending moves. She's the quiet one, and nobody questions her.

Historia hugs all the girls, eager to spend time with them. It's late morning, and she's allowed to spend the rest of the day with them, as long as she returns by nightfall.

"You shaved off all your hair!" Sasha exclaims. "It looks good."

"Thanks!" Historia says. "I'd say it's because I'm _that _detached from material things, but really I'm so proud of this tattoo." she laughs. Historia can't help it, most airbenders get theirs at sixteen, she got hers a year ago, at fifteen. She _was_ the youngest, but Aang got his this year, at the mere age of twelve. She wasn't surprised, he did teach her that air scooter trick after all.

"Ready to go to Sasha's village?" Mikasa asks, Historia's energy rubbing off on her.

"Yeah, let's go!" the girls climb on Nala and before too long, they arrive.

With all the other folk donning green and grey clothing, the girls stick out, but no one really minds.

The girls catch up and wander around the marketplace. Each time Historia visits she looks around in awe- the Earth Kingdom lives a different lifestyle, and it fascinates her.

The four share laughter and stories, Annie providing some of the most intriguing ones, when she does open her mouth. Sasha takes them to the best food places, making sure there are vegetarian options for her airbender companion.

At one fruit stand, there is a girl working around their age, even taller than Mikasa. She's a little tough looking but friendly, being extra sweet to Historia. As they leave the girls tease her about it.

"I think that fruit vender was flirting with you." Sasha remarks.

Historia's cheeks turn slightly pink. She is not used to flirting, romance hardly ever on her mind. However, she did notice that the taller girl had a pretty face covered with freckles, not to mention a great lanky build.

"Do you guys really think so?"

"It was obvious." says Annie, deadpanned.

Historia blushes, surprised by the situation. She's an airbender, a member of the most spiritual nation. Love is encouraged of course, and romance is not frowned upon, but she is pleasantly delighted by the flirting. She laughs, putting the thoughts of the girl to the side, and enjoys spending time with her friends.

…

Sundown is near, and she has to say goodbye. She hugs them all again, expressing how glad she was to spend time with them, and how she looks forward to seeing them soon.

Flying upward, back to the temples, she notices there are more clouds than there should be without rain. As she gets closer, she realizes that it's smoke. There are Fire Nation flags, and many soldiers. Her heart lurches and she panics.

She has Nala land in a hidden clearing and runs to the nearest building, not believing what she's seeing. There are firebenders attacking her people, mercilessly. She spies Sister Petra, singlehandedly facing fifteen of them, while bison carrying the children are fleeing.

Historia joins Petra and begins fighting, risking her life so the younger ones escape. Historia is terrified and angry, but musters every bit of strength to deflect the flames and fight back, violently.

"Historia you must go!" Petra yells, barely dodging the latest strike of fire.

"I can't leave you here to fight them!" she screams.

"Please, Historia! Go now! Help the little ones, make sure they're safe!"

Historia doesn't need to be told twice. She hurries to Nala, and they take off instantly. But Nala is big and noticeable, in less than twenty seconds after soaring they are attacked, burning, and falling. Historia hurdles down.

…

Historia is barely conscious but she knows someone's carrying her, running. She feels so much pain within herself, and the tortuous sensation of burning. The sky is dark, and Historia is unsure if it's because it's night or the smoke. She hears a familiar voice shaking, repeating the words "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry, please hold on."

When Historia first wakes up, she is disoriented, and for a brief moment she forgets. But then her memories return and she feels empty. She knows Nala didn't make it, and that many of her people are gone.

The pain of loss and physical ache knock her out.

The next time she awakens she is aware of her surroundings. She's in an unknown hut, her friends sitting around her, grief stricken. They look at her with empathy.

"What happened?" she asks, her voice hoarse. She glances at Mikasa, not in a distrusting manner. "Why did they attack us out of nowhere?"

Mikasa gulps and looks down.

"I had no idea they would do this, truly. Historia, I'm so sorry for everything."

Historia is silent, but she reaches for Mikasa's hand and gives it a gentle squeeze.

"You need rest." Sasha says, and Historia returns to sleep.

The third time she wakes up it's only Annie with her.

"Where is everyone else?" she questions.

"Mikasa had to go home. She's afraid someone will track her down and find you. Sasha's helping us get ready to leave." Annie says nonchalantly.

"Leave? Where?"

"We're going to help you find your people." the vender girl says, entering the room.

"We?" Historia asks, puzzled.

"Me and Annie." the tall girl answers. "I want to help, if that's okay with you." she adds.

"Yeah, of course." Historia replies, processing her situation.

The girl gives her a small smile and leaves the room.

"Ymir's the one who found you. She brought you back to the village, barely making it in time." Annie explains.

_Ymir_, Historia thinks, remembering the girl carrying her. She reminds herself to thank Ymir, knowing she would have died without her.

"I'll help you find the other airbenders." Annie speaks softly. "I've travelled a lot, and I know this area well."

"Thank you Annie, I'm eternally grateful."

…

After packing and saying goodbye to Sasha, unsure if she'll ever see her again, Historia braces herself for this journey, the circumstances still foreign to her. She walks next to Ymir, Annie trailing behind, silent.

"Thank you," Historia says. "I owe you everything."

"Don't mention it." Ymir responds. "It felt good to be a hero."

Historia bites her lip at that. She is wearing gray clothing and a head wrap, which makes her feel strange.

"You don't have to come with us you know."

Ymir's face flushes for a second. Annie wordlessly walks in front of them, leading the way.

"I want to. I've been living here as just a street vender for the past few months, it'll be nice to move around again. Besides, with the war going on, and the genocide… I can't not make sure you're safe."

_Genocide_. Historia knows she's been recovering for around a week. But genocide? She has a hard time accepting that this is real.

"Why? Why did the Fire Nation attack us?"

Ymir does her best to explain the news she's heard from the village. The Avatar went missing, and Fire Lord Sozin started ambushing all the Air temples with no warning. There's been no word of the Avatar, but the Fire Nation is out to eliminate all airbenders.

Historia is unable to talk for the next few days. She hasn't fully recovered, and she's never walked so much before. She lost her glider, but she knows she can't use it anyway. She's ashamed the firebenders found her so quickly. If she left more cautiously, Nala could still be alive, and maybe she would have caught up to the children sent away. Her heart skips a beat. She has no idea if they made it, or where they went, and wishes more than anything she were by their side. If they died it's her fault.

Historia clenches her fist. They were innocent, not just the children, but every single air nomad, even the Avatar- whoever they are. Historia has never felt hate before, but now it fills her veins.

Historia doesn't notice that Annie, mostly silent for the past four days, has slowed her walk. She suddenly stops.

Ymir tenses up, and Historia wonders why. Annie turns around.

"I'm sorry." she says, her blue eyes wide and a little misty.

Ymir pushes Historia to the side, sparing her from the fireball.

"Annie." Historia's voice wavers. "How could you."

Ymir dodges the attacks, but they are surrounded by firebenders, and Annie left. Historia shakes, she's still weak so there's no way she can help fight. She had supposed Ymir was an earthbender, but she knows she's mistaken.

Despite Historia's tiny size, she gathers the strength to pick up Ymir without a warning and jump over the firebenders. The second her feet touch the ground she runs, using air power to assist her speed. Ymir fumbles with her hands, clumsily holding on to Historia for dear life.

But Historia is frail, and can only keep it up for a few minutes. She gently puts Ymir down and pants. They're lost now, in the middle of the forest.

Ymir takes Historia's bag and slings it over her arm, now donning a bag on each shoulder. She leans down.

"Get on my back." Historia does so, timidly. She runs, not as fast as Historia, but enough to provide more distance.

Night falls, and Ymir tenderly sets Historia down, handing her some water and fruit. The two eat in silence. It begins to get chilly, but it's not safe for them to light a fire.

Ymir lies with her back on the ground, looking up. She doesn't know how exhausted she is till she wakes up in the middle of the night. She's about to close her eyes when she realizes that Historia is pressed up against her, using her for warmth.

Ymir curses herself. She's looking at an _airbender_, one she has to _save_, she should _not _be thinking about anything else. She doesn't remember if airbenders can even get involved in romantic relationships, and she's pretty sure it's only okay if they procreate- which Ymir definitely cannot help with.

Moonlight sinks in through the trees, and Ymir can faintly see Historia. Despite all the suffering she's been through, Historia looks peaceful. Ymir smiles and drifts back to sleep.

When Ymir wakes up Historia is gone. Panic floods through her, and she hears a large stomping sound.

Her jaw drops when she's eye to eye with a flying bison.

"Hi!" she says to the creature, shocked

The bison grunts. Ymir hears a contagious laugh.

"I found her by a river." Historia says. Ymir's never seen anyone look so happy.

"I'll be honest, I was beginning to lose all hope." she confesses. "But then I found her, all alone. If she made it, other bison did. If I made it, other airbenders did too. I can't give up." Historia pauses. "Will you stay with me? Until I find the others?"

Ymir nods. Historia walks over and grabs her hand.

"Well come on! It's a new day and I have a feeling we're gonna be lucky."

Historia leads her to the bison and they climb on.

….

_It wasn't supposed to go down like this_, Ymir thinks. She's sitting on the bison's head, Historia behind her. They haven't seen any firebenders for weeks, but now their luck ran out. They are ambushed, devastatingly surrounded. Any second they're going to strike.

"I can take them," Historia says. "I'm a master airbender you know."

Ymir is surprised by Historia's eagerness.

"No," Ymir dissuades. "You're getting out of here. I'll stop them, start flying."

"But Ymir, you have no chance!"

Ymir turns around, and wants to reach out and hold Historia close until this is over. But now is not the time to be selfish, Historia has to make it out alive. Otherwise…

"Now!" she hisses.

Reluctantly, Historia gets the bison moving. Ymir faces forward and braces herself.

She jumps off the bison, using all the energy she possesses to release her fire. It works. The firebenders are distracted by her bending and Historia is escaping.

Ymir hears them call her a traitor, a firebender protecting an airbender? This makes them angry, and they attack her ruthlessly. But Ymir doesn't care. Historia got away, and that's all that matters. Ymir smiles to herself, and throws her last fire punch..


End file.
